Pedicure footwear

ABSTRACT

A pedicure footwear including a toe separator embedded at a toe end of said footwear sole. The toe separator having five knobs. The toe separator receives the second toe, the third toe, the fourth toe and the fifth toe. The knobs each have at least one contoured side while the first knob and the fifth knob may have at least one straight side. The fifth knob abuts an outer side of the fifth toe.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to footwear. Specifically, the present invention is directed to footwear combined with toe separators.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The beauty business is a million, if not billion, dollar industry. Manicures and pedicures are common beauty treatments people seek. As nail salon customers know once the service is obtained time must be budgeted in to allow the nail color to dry and set. Pedicures, in particular, require an extended “wait time” because use of shoes or anything closed-toe can compromise the quality and finish of the pedicure.

Another factor to consider or remember when obtaining nail services is to bring open-toe footwear. Customers who are prepared to get a pedicure will bring open-toe footwear to the nail salon. Those customers who forget open-toe footwear will forgo a pedicure or use flimsy footwear provided by the nail salon. Not only are the common nail salon footwear flimsy but they provide no separation of toes other than the thong between the first toe, also known as the hallux, “big toe”, the innermost toe and the second toe, or “index toe”. In addition to open-toe footwear, a nail service customer will have to place rolled-up paper towels between the toes or use a separate toe separator.

Another type of pedicure sandal exists such as those in D558,959 and D575,484, however these designs only provide dividers between each toe. Specifically, between each of the following: the first toe, also known as the hallux or “big toe”, which is the innermost toe; the second toe also known as the “index toe”; the third toe also known as the “middle toe”; the fourth toe and the fifth toe also known as the “little toe”, “pinky toe”, or the outermost toe. The dividers often are attached and extend between the strap and the sole of the footwear.

What is desired is a pedicure footwear that is sturdy and can be worn by a nail service patron both in the salon and on the streets. It is desired that this pedicure footwear have toe separators incorporated in the sole of the footwear. It is desired that this pedicure footwear separate each toe. It is also desired that the fifth toe be protected from possible contact with foreign objects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A pedicure footwear provides a toe separator embedded in the sole of the footwear. The toe separator has five knobs and receives each the second toe, the third toe, the fourth toe and the fifth toe. The first knob abuts an inner side of the first toe and the fifth knob abuts the outer side of the fifth toe.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a pedicure footwear 100 of the present invention.

FIG. 2A shows a close up view a toe separator of the footwear 100.

FIG. 2B shows a cut away view along line 2B-2B in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the footwear 100.

FIG. 4 shows an alternate view of the footwear 100.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a pedicure footwear 100 according to the present invention. The footwear 100 in FIG. 1 has a footwear sole 10 to receive a foot, with a toe end 12, a heel end 16, a middle section 14, strap 20 to receive and retain the foot, the strap 20 is connected to the sole 10 and toe separator 30. The footwear 100 is shown as a flip flop but is not limited to a flip flop or thong type footwear. The footwear 100 could be any other type of open-toe footwear such as a thong, buckle, Velcro strap, a strap with a big toe loop or a slide-on sandal having a single strap, see FIG. 4 or the like.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show the toe separator 30 embedded at a toe end 12 of said footwear 100 comprising five knobs 36, 38, 42. In another embodiment, the toe separator 30 may also be connected to the strap 20 or both the strap 20 and sole 10. A first knob 36 rests between the first toe and the second toe. There are three middle knobs 38 that rests between the second toe and the third toe, the third toe and the fourth toe and the fourth toe and the fifth toe. The fifth knob 42 abuts the outer side of the fifth toe.

In one embodiment the five knobs 36, 38, 42 are individual plugs that are inserted through the bottom surface 18 of the sole 10 and exit the top surface of the sole 10. Alternatively, the knobs may be screwed or fit into the sole 10 via the top surface of the footware 100. In these embodiments, the knobs 36, 38, 42 may be selectively used. For instance, when needed the knobs 36, 38, 42 may be placed on the footware 100 and when not needed the knobs 36, 38, 42 may be stored elsewhere. In yet another embodiment the toe separator may 30 be a single unit with knobs 36, 38, 42 and this single unit will be dimensioned and configured to fit into the top surface of the footware sole 10 via some attachment means including but not limited to Velcro, a slot, and the like.

The knobs 36, 38, 42 each have at least one contoured side while the first knob 36 and the fifth knob 42 may each have at least one straight side. Specifically, knob 36 has a side with a straight edge and a contoured side. Knob 36 is not limited to only a straight side. In an alternative embodiment, each side of first knob 36 may be contoured, see for instance knob 36 in FIG. 2A. The first and second sides of the three middle knobs 38 each are contoured. The fifth knob 42, like the first knob 36, has a side with a straight edge and a contoured side and in an alternate embodiment each side maybe contoured. In one embodiment the contoured sides comprise a wide end 34 and a narrow end 32, however other configurations for the contoured sides are feasible.

The narrow ends 32 between first knob 36 and knob 38 forms a valley to receive the second toe, the narrow ends 32 between the two adjacent knobs 38 receive each the third and fourth toes. The narrow ends 32 between knob 38 and fifth knob 42 receives the fifth toe. The fifth knob 42 protects the fifth toe from contacting foreign objects that may affect any toe nail polish applied on the fifth toe. The toe separator 30 abuts the first toe and receives the second toe, the third toe, the fourth toe and the fifth toe.

FIGS. 2A and 3 shows the bottom 18 of the sole 10 showing the bottom 40 of each knobs 36, 38, 42. The knob bottoms are embedded in the sole 10 and extend outside the bottom 18 of the sole 10. In an alternative embodiment, the toe separator 30 may be a single unit disposed in the sole 10 of the footwear instead of individual knobs 36, 28, 42 as shown in the present figures. In another alternative embodiment, the pedicure footwear 100 could have a strap with a big toe loop and the separator 30 would receive the second toe, the third toe, the fourth toe and the fifth toe.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims. One of ordinary skill in the art could alter the above embodiments or provide insubstantial changes that may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. A pedicure footwear comprising: a footwear sole, said footwear sole having a toe end and a heel end, said footwear sole dimensioned and configured to receive a foot; a foot strap, said foot strap connected to the footwear sole, said footwear strap receiving said foot; and a toe separator, said toe separator embedded at said toe end of said footwear sole, said toe separator comprising five knobs.
 2. The pedicure footwear of claim 1, wherein the foot strap is a thong.
 3. The pedicure footwear of claim 1, wherein the foot strap is a buckle strap.
 4. The pedicure footwear of claim 1, wherein the foot strap is a slide-in strap.
 5. The pedicure footwear of claim 1, wherein the toe separator is attached to the foot strap.
 6. The pedicure footwear of claim 1, wherein the knobs have at least one contoured side.
 7. The pedicure footwear of claim 1, wherein the first knob and the fifth knob each have at least one straight side.
 8. The pedicure footwear of claim 1, wherein a fifth knob abuts an outer side of the fifth toe.
 9. The pedicure footwear of claim 1, wherein the toe separator receives the second toe, the third toe, the fourth toe and the fifth toe.
 10. The pedicure footwear of claim 1, wherein the foot strap is a strap having a big toe loop. 